Estate and advance care planning is more than just paperwork—it’s a final act of love. For veterans and service members, these plans are essential for safeguarding military benefits, protecting loved ones, and ensuring that end-of-life preferences are honored.
Why Estate and Advance Care Planning Matters for Veterans
For veterans, estate and advance care planning involves more than dividing property. It also includes navigating a complex system of military benefits that impact how assets are passed on and how care is managed in case of disability or death.
Planning ahead ensures:
- Your loved ones receive the military benefits they are entitled to.
- You avoid intestacy laws that may not reflect your family’s needs.
- Your end-of-life medical care aligns with your values and wishes.
- Family members avoid legal and emotional stress during difficult times.
Estate Planning for Veterans: Key Considerations
Estate planning involves deciding how your assets—like real estate, savings, or personal items—will be distributed. Veterans should consider both traditional tools and military-specific resources:
- Wills and Trusts: Use a will to designate beneficiaries or create a trust to control how assets are used after your death.
- Non-Probate Assets: Military benefits like pensions or life insurance often bypass probate. Ensure beneficiary designations are current.
- Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP): This provides a portion of retirement pay to a spouse or dependent. It requires careful designation.
- Service Members Group Life Insurance (SGLI): This large life insurance benefit passes directly to named beneficiaries.
Veterans with blended families should pay special attention to ensure fair distribution among biological children, stepchildren, and spouses.
Advance Care Planning for Veterans
Advance care planning ensures your preferences are followed if you’re unable to make decisions. Key documents include:
- Living Will: Specifies what medical treatments you do or don’t want.
- Durable Power of Attorney (Medical and Financial): Appoints someone to make decisions on your behalf.
- Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Orders: Indicates whether life-saving measures should be taken.
- VA Fiduciary Program: Helps veterans who cannot manage their own VA benefits.
Veterans can also use the VA’s Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) to direct care in serious illness.
Estate and Advance Care Planning Checklists
Estate Planning Checklist
- Write a will or establish a trust
- Update beneficiaries for insurance and SBP
- Organize financial and military documents
- Create a letter of instruction for your executor
Advance Care Planning Checklist
- Execute a living will
- Assign medical and financial powers of attorney
- Complete a DNR or POLST if desired
- Discuss preferences with family and your VA care team
Free Resources for Veterans
Veterans can access estate and advance care planning support through:
- U.S. Armed Forces Legal Assistance: Offers free legal support on bases and in VA facilities.
- VA Health System: VA social workers and health providers can assist with planning documents.
- Online Planning Tools: Services like the VA’s Advance Directive form and financial planning tools are widely available.
For support, contact the Family Assistance Support Team at 877-827-2471 or your local VA office.
Final Thoughts: Take Charge of Your Legacy
Veterans have earned more than just thanks—they’ve earned benefits that can significantly ease the burdens on loved ones. Estate and advance care planning allow you to protect those benefits, reduce family stress, and ensure your legacy is carried out the way you want.
Start today. Update your documents. Talk to your family. And use the many free resources available to veterans to make the process smoother and more meaningful.
